. Perfervid, the career of Ninian Jamieson. eavy burden on his back. Larkswere shouting in the sky, and in and out of theclefts in the rocks gray-cowled jackdaws flew croak-ing and screaming. The little boy trudged wearilyalong, seeing and hearing nothing, his head bentforward like an old mans. With one hand he sup-ported his burden, for the rope that tied it round hiswaist and shoulders had slackened. In his otherhand he carried a stick of oak, which he used atevery step to help him on. It was no wonder hewas tired, for he had been on the road since twooclock that morning. Still he would not
. Perfervid, the career of Ninian Jamieson. eavy burden on his back. Larkswere shouting in the sky, and in and out of theclefts in the rocks gray-cowled jackdaws flew croak-ing and screaming. The little boy trudged wearilyalong, seeing and hearing nothing, his head bentforward like an old mans. With one hand he sup-ported his burden, for the rope that tied it round hiswaist and shoulders had slackened. In his otherhand he carried a stick of oak, which he used atevery step to help him on. It was no wonder hewas tired, for he had been on the road since twooclock that morning. Still he would not give in,and he tottered along the winding sheep-path, gasp-ing for breath, and with the sweat running down hisface. He was a strong little boy ; his legs were like C( iSMO MORTIMERS STUY 43 little oak-trees. He would have gone on until hedropped had he not met another boy on the sheep-path. The other boy was much taller, and carried,rolled up under his arm, a white apron. He was ashepherds son, apprenticed to a grocer, on his wax-. to open his masters shop in Tullibody, a village about two miles from Dunmyatt. The grocers boy said, Whaur are ye gaun ?The little boy looked at him very closely and said, Who are you ? i44 PERFERVID Never you mind. Tell me whaur yere gaun. Im going away to the west, said the little boy. I see that. But whaur tae ? I dont like to tell you. If I knew who youwere I might. Are you Obstinate ? Eh ? said the grocers boy angrily. What daeye mean ? You cant be Pliable, said the little boy, be-cause youre too gruff; but then you seem to becoming the wrong way. Youre not Evangelist, are you ? Look here, my mannie, nane o your impidence,or Ill heave ye owre the hill. It strikes me yevebeen daein what ye shouldna. What hae ye inthat bag ? I wish I knew who you were, said the little boy. Im Saunders Elshander, the son o Rab Tam-sons shepherd. Wha are you ? Im not very sure, said the little boy. No ! said Saunders, bursting into a loud laugh ; mebbe the polis wo
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